Fine wine, cheese elicit conviviality

A few years ago, I realized that entertaining friends in our home did not have to be a stressful ordeal of extensive menu planning and seating charts. I found our best get-togethers were around the coffee table in the living room, talking for hours and drinking wine from mismatched glasses. For something to enjoy with the wine, look no further than the time-honored traditional cheese platter. It’s easy, elegant and effortless because the secret is all in keeping it simple. If you want to add a few treats beyond bread and crackers, consider olives, prosciutto di Parma, Serrano ham,...

read more

Popping a cork with the hot corn

I never thought I would write a column on corn and wine pairings, let alone my baffling and surprising moment of matching wine with popcorn. My interest was sparked while reading Andrea Immer’s book, Great Tastes Made Simple. Immer declares corn is one of the most fundamental wine foods and she has yet to find a wine that it doesn’t flatter. Corn is one of America’s largest crops, grown from sea to shining sea and found in many varieties of food, from popped to polenta. And corn, according to Immer, has an ideal partner in one of America’s favorite wines, chardonnay. After she...

read more

Chocolates, wine are beguiling gifts

Each year on Valentine’s Day my husband never fails to amaze with me with yet another unique and romantic gift. Compounding the impressiveness of this feat is that my wish list usually doesn’t include roses, candies or even jewelry, it revolves around another love of my life: wine. My Valentine’s Day surprises have included such extravagant gifts as my favorite bottle of wine over dinner and a starry-eyed, wine country getaway to practical but still sassy and colorful wine totes. Each gift is beloved because of the thought put into selecting it. So, if you have a wine enthusiast in your...

read more

Choosing a wine for your valentine

You have your Valentine dinner plans in place but wonder what wine to pair with chocolate-dipped strawberries or oysters. Whether you are planning dinner out at a restaurant or a romantic feast at home, consider these favorites. Oysters: Pairing a bare, raw oyster with champagne is ideal but that wine may not hold up to the powerful, rich flavors of Oysters Rockefeller. Choose champagne for serving simple and fresh oysters, but for oysters adorned by sauces and toppings consider a more full-bodied white such as chardonnay. THE VALUE 2010 B.R. Cohn Silver Label Chardonnay, California (about...

read more

Enjoying the fruits of bargain search

More and more higher quality wines are being made around the world, which creates tremendous opportunities for wine drinkers along with heaps of bargains. And the timing couldn’t be better, with a slow economy putting a pinch on many a wine budget. When searching for great finds, I look for budget-friendly wines that don’t sacrifice quality. Many of the top values I found were not the expected cheap and cheerful $10 bottles of the past, but quality wines earning high scores (some 90-plus) from top critics. From Washington state to Argentina, these wines will have you drinking well for...

read more